This invention relates to a platform structure that can be positioned on any floor surface to catch and retain mechanical fluids (such as oil, gasoline, grease, etc.) that might drip from the engine or transmission of a motorized vehicle. The oil, gasoline, etc. are thereby prevented from forming unsightly oily spots on, e.g. a garage floor surface. Also, the floor is kept dry and free from slippery oily accumulations that a person might inadvertantly step into, causing possible injury or the tracking of oily fluids from the person's shoes into the home.
The invention avoids the need to use cloths, brooms or mops for removing mechanical fluid accumulations from floor surfaces. The person's brooms or mops can thereby be kept in clean condition instead of becoming coated with ruinous oily fluids or sludge particles.
Some roughly similar oil retention structures have already been patented, although to my knowledge none are available in stores. U.S. Pat. No. 3,062,323 to P. Oganovic shows a mat structure that includes a board 10 formed of crushed wood fibers pressed together with a suitable binding agent. A metal band 11 surrounds the board, apparently to prevent oil from seeping out of the board edges. The upper face of board 10 has a film of cement 14 for adhesive securement of an oil-absorbing chemical 15. One disadvantage of the Oganovic structure is the fact that the structure rests directly on the garage floor; water, snow and dirt accumulations can work into the fibrous interior of the board to attack the binding agent and cause the board to fragment or crumble into an unusable condition. Also, water absorption into the board interior reduces the pore volume that would otherwise be available for oil absorption purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,228,491 to S. Gatsos shows an oil-catching mat structure formed of corrugated fiberboard or paperboard. As seen in FIG. 5 of the patent, the mat 10 comprises two flat sheets 11 and 12, and an intervening corrugated sheet 13. Holes 17 are formed in sheet 11 to admit oil into the mat interior spaces; also, a moisture-proof coating is formed on the lower face of sheet 12. The Gatsos mat structure is elevated above the garage floor by means of foot structures 19. However, the foot structures are formed out of the same corrugated paperboard that is used to make the mat structure 10. With each foot structure 19 in the FIG. 4 operating position the lower edge areas of the foot structures are subject to attack by water or snow accumulations on the garage floor surface. Such water/snow accumulations would quickly penetrate face areas 11 of the foot structure and also the edge areas of the foot structure. Capillary action or wick action would produce an upward flow of water along foot structure 19, leading to early failure of the mat support system.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,565,214 shows an oil-retaining mat structure formed out of a folded sheet of paper felt. The mat structure rests directly on the garage floor where it is subject to attack by water accumulations on the floor surface.
My proposed mechanical-fluid-retention platform comprises a flat rigid rectangular panel completely walled (above and around its edge) and flanged at the top of the wall forming a rim that overhangs the panel. The panel is elevated above the floor surface by four or more legs. The individual legs are adjustable vertically, such that the panel is supported in a wobble-free manner in spite of uneveness or slope in the floor surface. The platform with its panel, wall, rim and legs is composed of durable plastic that is resistant to both mechanical fluids and moisture. The wall, rim and legs may be molded together with the panel to form a one-piece platform structure.
The platform includes a flat flexible liner formed of a material capable of absorbing mechanical fluids, e.g. an open celled porous sponge material. The liner is removably positioned on the upper surface of the aforementioned rigid panel, whereby after the liner has been saturated to a point approaching its oily-fluid-retention capacity, the liner can be removed and replaced with a new liner or washed with an oil-removing agent (if it is desired to reuse the liner).